The first episode of Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun features scenes of abuse and sexual assault. The following contains spoilers for Episode 1, "The Compass Pointed to the Darkness," now streaming on HIDIVE.

After over two years since the last installment in the Made in Abyss franchise, the second season premiered on July 6th on HIDIVE. Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun opened in a surprising way, which may have been a bit of a shock for anyone who hasn't already refreshed themselves on the first season and the most recent film: by thrusting the audience back in time. With all that's shown during this giant flashback, where does that leave Riko, Nanachi and Reg from where they were at the end of Dawn of the Deep Soul?

The first episode begins by following the story of a young orphan named Vueko. After a few scenes that detail her traumatic childhood filled with abuse, she explains how she joined the Ganja suicide corps as a delver to escape her old life. Looking for a sense of purpose, she and the rest of the corps go off to explore the Abyss. The first half of the episode follows her and the rest of the Ganja crew as they make their way toward the Abyss and the rumored Golden City in its center.

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Vueko and several other characters from Made In Abyss Season 2 prepare to enter the Abyss.

The overall somber mood that starts the season between Vueko's history and the Ganja journey likely hints at ominous events that'll pave the way for the rest of the season. While it's not immediately clear what importance Vueko has to Riko and her group's adventure directly, the fact that Vueko has a Star Compass just like Riko, and is also called one of the Three Sages of the Ganja, likely means their stories will have some kind of important intersection in later episodes.

The flashback chronicles the Ganja corps' journey through to the sixth layer to find the Golden City. The entirety of their excursion helps re-introduce viewers to the expansive and dangerous world that is the Abyss, even highlighting the Curse of the Abyss itself when one of their party members immediately succumbs to it, to the rest of the party's surprise. It's clear that the Ganja corps is from a time prior to the establishment of Orth, given the lack of whistles and knowledge of the Curse of the Abyss. Once a native girl, Irumyuui, joins the crew, she helps warn them of the various dangers that surround them.

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Vueko holds her Star Compass in her hands

The journey of the Ganja corps might seem, at first, mostly unrelated, but by the time they dive into the sixth layer, the episode jumps forward in time to reunite us with Riko, Nanachi and Reg just as they themselves depart for the sixth layer. Most of the screen time dedicated to Riko and her group is primarily a reintroduction to their banter and personalities, as they spend the entirety of the episode in the descent toward the Capital of the Unreturned. It's a refreshing change of pace, rekindling the humorous energy that was found in Season 1. Their return to the screen also contrasts the looming dread for viewers who remember that the Curse of the sixth layer is the loss of humanity.

By opening with the still-mysterious Vueko, Season 2 provides a creative reintroduction to the world while simultaneously laying the groundwork for whatever intrigue is to come. The first episode of the season plants the question of what happened to Vueko and the rest of her party, and whether or not the same fate will lie ahead for Riko and her gang. Despite its time away, this second season premiere of Made in Abyss shows that there's still lots to entice viewers into continuing the adventure.